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Fishing Report

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

Walleye fishing has slowed a little. In the north basin, better recent action has been off weedlines early and late in the day. South basin anglers are catching some walleye along the deepest part of the lake. Black bass have been biting well recently. Target largemouth bass around docks and other structure, and smallmouth bass outside weedlines. Fall is a top time to target muskellunge on Chautauqua Lake. Key on areas from the weedline out to 20 feet of water by trolling with large stickbaits or by casting stickbaits and large musky spinners.

LAKE ERIE AND TRIBS

Cattaraugus Creek is currently running a little high at about 650 cubic feet per second. The Catt was at a fishable level for a couple of days at mid-week, but no reports available. Steelhead catches had previously been reported all the way up to the Springville Dam, so its a good bet when it falls under 500 cubic feet per second. All other Erie tributaries have lower flows and clear conditions. There have been relatively light numbers of steelhead in the small to medium creeks so far. Look for improved fishing with any bump in flow. For those new to steelhead fishing, see the Steelhead Fishing in Lake Erie Tributaries page.

There are still plenty of walleye available from Sturgeon Point to the Pennsylvania line. Target walleye in 60-90 feet of water with stickbaits or worm harnesses run within 40 feet of the bottom. Anglers have recently been catching fair numbers of yellow perch off Cattaraugus Creek at depths around 60 feet.

UPPER NIAGARA RIVER

In the Niagara River, it’s been more of a mixed bag with salmon still leading the way. Boaters are bouncing bottom with three-way rigs and a chunk of treated egg skein to take kings, cohos, steelhead and a variety of other fish. Casting from shore, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls scored on four different species of fish one day while tossing No. 4 spinners off the NYPA fishing platform. The gorge is still producing salmon up to the Whirlpool and the steelhead are starting to show up, too. Using a float to drift eggs or egg imitations is starting to work. This is also a good time to target big smallmouth bass downriver toward Fort Niagara and on the Niagara Bar if the winds cooperate. Upper river bass action can also be good. And as waters finally start to cool down, muskellunge fishing should start to improve as fish start to move in and winter over. There should still be some walleye around, too.

LOWER NIAGARA RIVER

Lower Niagara River salmon fishing is still going on and some trout are starting to move in. There are salmon and trout at Burt Dam, too, but things have been a hot and cold, depending on whom you talk to. Karen Evarts at the Boat Doctors in Olcott reports only fair action off the piers, usually early morning or at dusk for spoon and spinner casters. There has been quite a few salmon and trout being reported off the Route 425 pier and don’t rule out the Wilson piers off the main harbor for browns and steelhead with an outside shot at an occasional salmon. Egg imitations will also work at any of these spots. A pink bead worked for one angler on 18 Mile Creek for a beautiful Atlantic salmon. At the dam in Burt, brown trout top the list of preferred targets, followed by steelhead and salmon. Practice catch and release when you can. Small boaters have been fishing some of the deeper holes with egg skein and picking a few salmon up, too. Trolling with J13 Rapalas is another option in the creeks at Olcott and Wilson. In the lake, there aren’t too many people heading out but fishing can be good out deep (over 300 foot depths) for a mix of salmon and trout. Staging fish off the creek mouth has been limited so far at Wilson and Olcott.

LAKE ONTARIO

Anglers report the first decent push of king salmon up to the dam on Eighteenmile Creek. There are fair numbers of steelhead and brown trout around as well. Current water conditions are lower and clear. Oak Orchard Creek has moderate flow and clear water. Anglers are catching a decent mix of king salmon and steelhead, with the occasional brown trout or coho salmon mixed in. Smaller streams remain low, clear and sparsely populated with trout and salmon.

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